Snowy Hills

Cottage

Dressing Room

Meadow

Bayou

Alpine

Longhorn

Face Cards

Deep Pockets

Tiki Bunny

Ripper

Fish Bladders

About Company Biography

Arn “Rented Mule” Sweatman

(August 1, 1819 – September 28, 1891) was an American novelist, short story writer, animator, and poet. He is best known for his 5-point nutria-belly-fur mule harness, his nuevo-retro illustration style, and his dream pop poetry. His first three books gained much contemporary attention (the first, ‘Pork Taffy’, becoming a bestseller), but after a fast-blooming literary success in the late 1840s, his popularity declined precipitously in the mid-1850s and never recovered during his lifetime. When he died in 1891, he was almost completely forgotten.

Liked ice cream.

Tolerated mustache wax.

Hated fish tacos.

Accomplished Jazz Tuba player.

Uncredited inventor of the ear trumpet.

Sufferer of STS (Stiff Thumb Syndrome)

It was not until the “Mule Revival” in the early 20th century that his work won recognition, especially ‘Box of Hair’ which was hailed as one of the literary masterpieces of both American and world literature. He was the first writer, and mule trainer, to have his works collected and published by the Library of America and McDonald’s Corporation.

To Cause a Witch to Die

Jim Flora

James “Jim” Flora (January 25, 1914 – July 9, 1998), best known for his distinctive and idiosyncratic album cover art for RCA Victor and Columbia Records during the 1940s and 1950s, was also a prolific commercial illustrator from the 1940s to the 1970s and the author/illustrator of 17 popular children’s books.

UPA remastered

17 Apr 2012

Several years ago a Sr. Art Director remarked to me: “your work looks like Gerald McBoing Boing”. I laughed (but not really comprehending) having only heard of G.M.B. as it was kinda before my time. After researching G.M.B. & UPA I realized that I was standing on the shoulders of giants! Who the heck WERE these guys whose style I LOVED and had unknowingly co-opted 50(?) some years after their original creation? So I was super thrilled when TCM and Sony Pictures offered a set of re-mastered UPA shorts including “38 theatrical cartoons from the most critically-acclaimed cartoon studio of the 1950s.”!!

This’ll surely be mind-numbingly boring to my 10 y.o. who was weened on Harry Potter, The Madagascars, anything post ’01 Pixar, etc. But for me it’s solid gold because now I could see what inspired the guys who inspired the guys who inspired ME!

RIP Old Mule

20 Aug 2011

It was a sad day today as we had to put the first version of RentedMule down. She came to life in South Florida back in 1999, two years before our first daughter was born. Tho she served us well, her cantankerous Flash-enabled technological ways had fallen out of favor amongst the interwebs. The neighbors were beginning to complain so we took her out behind the barn to do what was right. She knew it was her time and went peacefully.

The old girl will be missed. =[

8/20/11

Old Skool Animators

17 Jul 2011

Daly notes a difference in the way they (traditional 2D animators) animate compared to those trained only in 3D. She says, “I think often times, 2D people come from a deep art background. So what we’re seeing is that there’s a different level of artistry in their animation once they master 3D. Not to say that people who have been 3D animators are inferior, but the 2D animators are able to translate their art really effectively in a 3D medium in a way that, generally speaking, a lot of people didn’t think they’d be able to.”

Animator and director Don Bluth (Titan A.E., Anastasia) echoes Daly’s statement. Don Bluth Films most recently made its first venture into 3D with cinematics for the Namco video game I-Ninja. He says of 2D animators, “They understand the principles of animation better than anyone. When we were doing I-Ninja, there was one guy among all the animators, an older guy who had done 2D his whole life long. It’s the difference between night and day when you see what he animates compared to the other guys who have never really drawn with a pencil. His animation is very spicy, very alive.”